Cork councillors create Women's Caucus to improve conditions for female politicians

There is no maternity leave for politicians both at local and national level. A current member of Cork City Council gave birth while serving on council in a system which did not provide any maternity leave.

A Women’s Caucus has been established by the six female members of Cork City Council.

The members of the cross-party group plan to work together to develop systems and processes to improve the ability of women to work in the political system.

They also hope to facilitate conversations about encouraging more women into politics and about making the council more diverse, and more representative of Irish society in general.

The announcement was made this evening just hours after Justice Minister Helen McEntee announced that she is expecting a baby. She will be the first member of Cabinet here to be pregnant while in office.

There is no maternity leave for politicians both at local and national level. A current member of Cork City Council gave birth while serving on council in a system which did not provide any maternity leave.

Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman has announced that paid parental leave is to be extended by this Government.

A number of female members of Cork City Council spoke out earlier this year about their experience of council meetings, with some claiming that they were not being listened to in the council chamber.

They said they felt that when a woman stands to bring forward a motion for debate, or to make a statement, there is a “murmuring and grumbling” among other councillors.

Others said this merely reflects the nature of the council, but that this “adversarial” attitude should change.

Green Party Cllr Colette Finn, who recently stepped down as chair of Mná Glasa, a group in the party to support women into leadership and elected office, welcomed the women’s caucus move.

A member also of the 50:50 group which argued for candidate selection gender quotas, she said: “Only six out of the 31 councillors on Cork City Council are women. You cannot be what you cannot see.

“If young women don’t see women in politics, then they may think that politics has nothing to do with them.

“However, we know that women are materially affected by politics and that the decisions that are made will impact on every aspect of their lives.

“These impacts will be whether they can afford a roof over their heads, whether they can access affordable childcare when needed or how much they get paid in their chosen career.

“We have to develop systems where women can operate within the political system and dads are expected to share the work involved in child rearing.

“They have the right and the duty to care for their offspring. True gender equality means the capabilities of both sexes are allowed to flourish and to be equally valued.”